Coach Explains Holland's Value to Defense

Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland is the top-rated safety by PFF despite few impact plays

After a promising start to his NFL career, Jevon Holland was expected to take a big step in his third season with the Miami Dolphins with the arrival of Vic Fangio of defensive coordinator.

While the numbers might not reflect that projected big jump, analytics site Pro Football Focus suggests he has delivered, ranking him as its top-rated safety in the NFL through the first half of the 2023 season.

In eight games so far this season — he missed the second New England game because of a concussion — Holland ranks second on the Dolphins in tackles with 59 to go along with two tackles for loss, three passes defensed, and three forced fumbles.

Like the rest of the defense, Holland's performance has gotten better since the first month of the season when he had four consecutive games with an opposing passer rating when targeted over 100.

Holland's stat line is short on passes defensed and missing any interception, and the three forced fumbles all came in the 50-point blowout victory against the Denver Broncos in Week 3, which made Holland's selection as PFF's No. 1 safety perhaps a tad puzzling.

But secondary coach Renaldo Hill explained Thursday morning that Holland's contributions to the defense need to be evaluated beyond numbers.

"The biggest thing for him is he's the true quarterback (of the defense)," Hill said. "He's the maestro back there, he gets everyone lined up. He makes all the checks. Obviously, we know he can get the ball if needed. But right now, he's been directing this and making sure that everybody's in the right spot so we can play at a high level. And maybe the pitch count may not show it right now, but sometimes the numbers don't really add up to what he brings to the table.

"And we know he can get the ball, as far as interceptions and those things. But he's doing everything that we ask and more. So if you don't have a good quarterback in the back end, it's hard for a defense to run. It's hard for it to predict or stay ahead of what the offense may do. And those are the things that maybe the numbers don't show, as of yet. But those are things that he brings to the Miami Dolphins defense."

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